


cherry red

by oldpapertowns



Series: chemical christmas 2020 [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Discussion of HIV/AIDS, Ficlet, Gen, chemical christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:09:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27842758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldpapertowns/pseuds/oldpapertowns
Summary: Zuko shows up to a study session one day with a handful of pins with red ribbons on them. He passes one out to each person, pressing it into their hands.Aang looks down at his curiously, tilting his head. “What’s this for?”“Tomorrow’s December first, or world AIDS day.” Zuko taps the pin on his chest.
Relationships: The Gaang & The Gaang, The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: chemical christmas 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036416
Comments: 12
Kudos: 202





	cherry red

**Author's Note:**

> day 2 of chemical christmas - red ribbon! prompt list by @saintmichale_ on instagram
> 
> title from ‘cherry red’ by waterparks
> 
> world aids day was yesterday, but better late than never. you technically don’t have to read the other part(s) of the college au series but it would Probably make more sense if you did

Zuko shows up to a study session one day with a handful of pins with red ribbons on them. He passes one out to each person, pressing it into their hands.

Aang looks down at his curiously, tilting his head. “What’s this for?”

“Tomorrow’s December first, or world AIDS day.” Zuko taps the pin on his chest. “The red ribbon is a way to raise awareness for people living with HIV and AIDS.”

“Because of the epidemic, right?” Toph pokes Zuko, pointing to her backpack, and he pins it on.

“Yeah.”

“There was an epidemic?” Sokka asks, fiddling with his own pin and pinning it to the back of his own bag, right next to one that reads ‘ACAB.’

“It started in 1981, yeah,” answers Katara. Zuko looks at her, surprised. “I did a lot of research when Sokka came out,” she explains, Zuko nodding in understanding.

“Why red?” Aang asks, his own pin displayed proudly on his orange jacket.

“This website says there were artists who wanted to raise awareness about the suffering caused by HIV, which mostly remained hidden. They chose red for the boldness, and because of its association with passion, the heart, and love,” says Suki, reading off her phone. She looks up, fiddling with the pin on her leather jacket. “I know that it’s highly stigmatized even today, though it was way worse in the 80s.”

“Why?”

“It mostly affected people who were part of the LGBT or colored community.” Zuko frowns after reciting this fact. “And homophobia was still a really big thing back then, so people just-”

“Didn’t care,” finishes Toph glumly. She kicks the floor. “Which is fucked.”

“But to be expected,” grumbles Zuko.

Sokka looks like he’s connecting two things together. “Is that why there aren’t many queer boomers? Like, compared to younger generations?”

“Huh.” Katara looks thoughtful. “That makes sense, actually.”

“It does,” agrees Zuko slowly. “And that’s probably most of the reason. I always thought it was because of internalized homophobia or something.”

“Nobody did anything?” Aang looks angrily baffled.

“Homophobia sucks.” Toph lays down on the floor, eyes staring up at the ceiling. After a beat, Zuko joins her.

“So does racism.”

“Also, why haven’t we learned about this in school?” Aang adds.

“Homophobia and racism suck,” Sokka repeats, looking like he wants to join Zuko and Toph on the floor if there was space left. “There would be a lot more older queer people to look up to if things had been different.”

“They weren’t,” Zuko mutters, glaring at the ceiling. “So we don’t.”

“Things are changing, though.” Suki pipes up again. “There’s still homophobia present, but at least we can  _ live.” _

“You still shouldn’t have to be closeted or targeted,” Katara states, no room for argument.

“No,” says Zuko flatly, watching Sokka flip upside down in his seat and slide down. “We shouldn’t.” Sokka slides over to Zuko and rests his head on his stomach.

“But it could be way worse,” counters Toph. “Way worse. At least there’s awareness being spread about it.”

“Yeah,” Zuko concedes, hand coming up to run through Sokka’s hair. “It could be worse.”

They all stir and go back to work, and at the end of the day, the ribbons that had been pinned to shirts are moved to more permanent homes.

**Author's Note:**

> this reads like an informative story but it,,, kinda is? if you read this, thank you (!!!) and stay safe <3


End file.
